Africa

Home page

Africa

Several injured in Tunisia’s protest

02 April 2011 23:19 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Several people have been injured after Tunisian security forces opened fire on a group of protesters in a southwestern city, APA reports quoting Press TV.

About 50 people gathered outside the local government offices in Tozeur, located 450 kilometers (280 miles) southwest of the capital city of Tunis on Saturday and demanded to see the governor.

The people were complaining about the prevalent youth unemployment in the city, Reuters reported.

Clashes broke out after the protesters attacked the government building when the governor refused to meet them.

Government forces attempted to disperse the crowd by firing shots in the air. It was when some people were hit. One person sustained serious injuries in the chest.

According to the United Nations, at least 147 people were killed and 510 more injured during the Tunisian ’Jasmine Revolution’ that unseated President Zine El Abidin Ben Ali in January after a 23-year-long authoritarian rule.

On January 14, Ben Ali fled Libya to the Saudi port city of Jeddah. There are unconfirmed claims that the deposed dictator went into a coma in Saudi Arabia and died soon afterwards.

Riots and protests broke out in Tunisia following the self-immolation of a 26-year-old fruit vendor, identified as Muhammad Bouazizi, who set himself on fire after police confiscated his merchandise.